


Coat

by Eastofthemoon



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Angst, Animal Bride, Bad Parent Gabriel Agreste, Emilie Got Out, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Folklore, Gabriel Agreste's A+ Parenting, Gen, Magic, Selkies
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-11
Updated: 2019-11-11
Packaged: 2021-01-28 22:33:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,224
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21399712
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Eastofthemoon/pseuds/Eastofthemoon
Summary: Adrien loved his folklore class, until one day it reveals something about his missing mother.
Comments: 23
Kudos: 245





	Coat

Adrien had a fondness for his folklore class. He couldn’t pinpoint exactly why, but Adrien suspected it was something to do with them being forbidden by his father growing up. No movies or books relating to folktales or fairy tales had been allowed within a hundred feet of their house. 

Adrien never would have heard even a single story if not for his mother sneaking in at bedtime to tell them, bit by bit. She had mostly told tales of the sea, even though his father never seemed to like discussing that either. Adrien recalled hearing his parents arguing about taking a trip to the ocean, to which his father's refusal was adamant. His mother had looked so forlorn afterwards and had stared at a painting of the ocean for over an hour.

However, today’s lesson wasn’t about mermaids or deep sea monsters. It was about animal brides.

For some reason the very mention of the topic put Adrien on edge.

Ms. Bustier introduced the topic simply enough. 

“There are many variations on the story of the animal bride,” Ms. Bustier began. “One of the most well known tales is that of the selkie. These mythological creatures are seals who can turn into beautiful women by removing their seal skins. This comes with a risk, however. In most of these tales, a local man finds the skin and keeps it hidden and locked away from the selkie. Thus, the selkie can’t escape and has no choice but to stay with the man.”

Adrien froze at this. It was like something was ringing in his ears, and he wasn’t certain why until an old memory from his childhood surfaced.

He had been five years old when he had explored a closet in his father’s study. In there, he had discovered a wooden chest with the lock left unlatched. Curious, Adrien was about to lift the lid until his father had slammed it shut, uncaring that he had almost smashed his son’s fingers in the process.

“NEVER come near this room again,” his father scolded after he took a key from his pocket and locked the chest. “Forget you ever saw it!”

Adrien tried to put the memory aside, trying to pick up where Ms. Bustier was continuing her lecture.

“Would anyone care to guess what happens next in this story?” she asked the class.

Alix raised her hand. “The selkie murders the creep and gets her coat back?”

Some of the class chuckled, Juleka in particular muttering something gleeful, but Adrien found himself rubbing his arms for some reason.

“Not quite,” Ms. Bustier replied. “After years of marriage, they have children together. One day the man accidentally leaves the key behind and the children give it to their selkie mother.”

Adrien held his breath.

The last day Adrien ever saw his mother, he had discovered the forbidden key on the floor. It must have slipped from his father’s pocket. Adrien, trying to be helpful, asked his mother where he should put the key until his father returned.

His mother’s hands had been shaking as she smiled at him. “Oh, give it to me darling. I’ll give it back to your father later.”

Adrien had done so, and then he went off to meet his Chinese tutor. He never saw his mother again.

“The man returns, only to find the selkie had reclaimed her coat and returned to the sea,” Ms. Bustier continued. “Now, similar stories exist involving other animal brides, another popular one being that of the swan maiden. What differences do you think might stand out between the stories of seals and swans?”

Adrien tuned out the class discussion, even ignoring Kim shouting about evil birds. He couldn't speak, couldn't look at the board, couldn't listen to the words flying around. He could only recall the day he told his father that his mother was holding onto the key for him. He had never seen his father so panic stricken, and remembered being shoved aside in his father's haste.

Adrien wanted to know what had happened, but Natalie dragged him away for his piano lesson before he could ask again.

Running through memories, Adrien was startled to feel a hand on his shoulder.

“Dude, you okay?” Nino asked. “You, uh, kinda look a bit freaked out.”

Adrien blinked and suddenly realized everyone was leaving the classroom and heading home.

“Oh, um, I’m fine,” Adrien said as he stood up. “I'm just...tired.”

Nino raised an eyebrow but gave a nod. “Sure, all right. I'm guessing you've gotta head home?”

“Y-yeah,” Adrien replied as he gripped the strap of his backpack. “I’ll see you tomorrow, okay?”

He didn’t wait for Nino to wave goodbye before racing out of the classroom and ducking into the nearest washroom. Once he was in a stall, he unzipped his bag and Plagg flew out.

“Hey, what’s up?” Plagg said as he tilted his head. “I was having a wonderful dream about cheese...and you're looking awfully pale.”

Adrien chewed his bottom lip. “Plagg, are...magical creatures like selkies real?”

Plagg crossed his arms behind his head. “You woke me up to ask if magical creatures are real? That's a funny question to ask an ancient god-like being of destruction. I'm just not sure - imagine, magic actually existing...Kid, what do you think?”

Adrien went still as he placed a hand on his chest. It wasn’t possible, right? It couldn’t be that his mother was-

“Whoa, whoa, kid, calm down,” Plagg said as he hastily flew closer. “I was just messing with you, okay? Yeah, selkies at least are real.”

Adrien took a deep breath. “There’s something I need to check. I need to get home.”

Plagg flew back into his backpack, and Adrien rushed to the school gates. For once he didn’t think the Gorilla could come fast enough as he pulled up, he completely ignored Chloe’s protests when she tried to pull him into a selfie.

“Sorry, I’m in a rush,” he told her before diving into the car.

It was the longest car ride of his life as Adrien impatiently fiddled with his ring. Finally, he was home. Adrien tried to remain calm as he walked through the front doors. If he came in running, Natalie would want to know why and he didn’t want to tell her.

Quietly, Adrien entered his father’s study and thankfully found it empty. His father must have still been in his business meeting. Adrien took a deep breath before he walked towards the closet. He didn’t want to look, but the question would nag at him forever unless he did.

Inside the closet, just like before, sat the chest he saw long ago. Plagg flew out of his backpack and sniffed it. His eyes widened.

“Kid, what is this doing here?” he asked as he flew around. “I’m, uh...I'm smelling some old magic here.”

Adrien didn’t answer as he knelt, unsurprised to discover the chest was unlocked. Taking a deep breath, he lifted the lid. Inside, the chest was nearly empty except for a small crumpled note at the bottom.

Frozen, Adrien could only stare for a full minute, until finally Plagg flew inside and brought it out for him to read. 

The note was written in his mother’s handwriting and only contained five words.

I got my coat.

Emilie


End file.
